History Main / ManyFacedDivinity

* ''Series/{{Krypton}}'': The Voice of Rao (Krypton's equivalent of the pope) wore a mask at all times in public. The mask had multiple faces going around the wearer's head, suggesting that Krypronians believe this is what Rao looks like.

Sometimes this is used to suggest that the entity has [[DividedDeity many aspects to themselves]] which they are attempting to represent simultaneously. There might also be an implication of omniscience.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': The creator god Yisun draws inspiration from Vedic imagery of deities having many faces and exaggerates it by having [[https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/ksbd-2-30/ entire alternate bodies radiating out from their center]]. This is to signify that Yisun was an infinite being who contained all possibilities (and impossibilities) within themself.

* "Myth/EgyptianMythology": A rare depiction of the god ‘Ash with many faces’ has three heads, a lion, a snake and a vulture. He can be seen at [[https://brightonmuseums.org.uk/brighton-museum-art-gallery/what-to-see/ancient-egypt/ Brighton Museum]].
* ''Myth/ClassicalMythology'': There are several cases of polycephaly, most notably Hecate, the three-headed godess of magic, and Janus, the TwoFaced Roman god of gateways.
* ''Myth/HinduMythology'': Possibly the TropeCodifier. Most popular depictions of the creator deity Brahma have many faces, as well as several other deity. The Asura have also had quite a cultural legacy, although their multiface form comes from depictions in Buddhism.

Sometimes this is used to suggest that the entity has [[DividedDeity many aspects to themselves]], which they are attempting to represent simultaneously. There might also be an implication of omniscience.

Bonus points if all the faces are attached to the same neck, which takes direct inspiration from many historical depictions of gods, particularly the Hindu Brahma (which makes this OlderThanFeudalism). If they want to take that particular inspiration further, expect the being in question to also be MultiArmedAndDangerous.

* ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}'': Chaos is depicted with several horrific faces embedded into his writhing body.

Sometimes this is used to suggest that the entity has [[DividedDeity many aspects to themselves]], which they are attempting to represent simultaneously.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The Many-Faced God's name invokes this, although he seems to be a variation that swaps between faces, rather than have several at once. Its followers also literally use many faces as masks to shift their identity.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Grob Gob Glob Grod was a guardian deity on Mars, with four faces on a floating head, each one a different entity. These four faces are later revealed to be individual sphere-shaped entities that simply control a shared body.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'': Played with. The Dreamers are depicted as three masks fused together above the temple of the Black Egg. However, the dreamers themselves are not divine (or even a unified creature). The symbolism actually represents [[spoiler:that what they are ''sealing'' is divine]].

** After [[Characters/MarvelComicsCosmicEntities Lord Chaos and Master Order]] forcibly fused themselves with the In-Betweener, they became Logos, resembling a three-faced head floating within a ring of arms and wings. Logos usurped the Tribunal's position as the law of the universe, but was eventually defeated by the [[ComicBook/Ultimates2015 Ultimates]] and separated into his components once more.

* ComicBook/MarvelComics:

* ''ComicBook/AvatarTheLastAirbenderTheSearch'': The Mother of Faces is naturally a spirit with many faces, all attached to the same neck. She also can create new faces that take the form of masks.

* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': Grob Gob Glob Grod was a guardian deity on Mars, with four faces on a floating head, each one a different entity.

Common in AngelicAbomination.

[[folder:Comic Book]]

* ''Literature/BookOfEzekiel'': Angels are described with 4 faces, including that of a Lion, Ox and Eagle.

* ''Myth/ClassicalMythology'': Has several cases of polycephaly, most notably Hecate (3 headed god of magic) and Janus (TwoFaced god of gateways).
* ''Myth/HinduMythology'': possibly the TropeCodifier. Most popular depictions of the creator deity Brahma have many faces, as well as several other deity. The Asura have also had quite a cultural legacy, although their multiface form comes from depictions in Buddhism.

* ''VideoGame/HollowKnight'': Played with. The Dreamers are depicted as 3 masks fused together above the temple of the Black Egg. But the dreamers themselves are not divine (or even a unified creature). The symbolism actually represents [[spoiler: that what they are ''sealing'' is divine]].

* ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'': Asmodeus is the AnthropomorphicPersonification of lust, and has a primary head with 2 secondary faces on either side.

* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce'': The omnipotent Alien X has 3 aspects within himself, with 2 of the aspects represented as floating masks.

If the being is unified under one mind, expect the faces to have VoiceOfTheLegion.

Compare TwoFaced (which doesn't always represent divine inspiration) and MultipleHeadCase (if each face has a different personality).

* ''Literature/BookOfEzekiel'': Angels are described with 4 faces, including that of a Lion and an Ox.

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': Although angels' multi-dimensional truest forms are never shown to the audience, partly on account of the show working around its budget constraints, [[Characters/SupernaturalAngels the angel Zachariah]] comments at one point that his true form has four faces including a lion's face.

Masks are a common motif that can be used in lieu of literal faces, with FloatingMask and having a "collection" of masks being 2 specific variations that show up.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The Many-Faced God's name invokes this, although he seems to be a variation that swap between faces, rather than have several at once. It's followers also literally use many faces as masks to shift their identity.

[[folder:Video Game]]

** Xipe, the Aeon of Harmony is represented as triple faced, all connected on the same neck.
** Aha is represented as a frenetic mess of theater masks, each with a different expressions.

* ''Webcomic/KillSixBillionDemons'': The creator god Yisun draws inspiration from Vedic imagery of deities having many faces, and exaggerates it by having [[https://killsixbilliondemons.com/comic/ksbd-2-30/ entire alternate bodies radiating out from their center]]. This is to signify that Yisun was an infinite being who contained all possibilities (and impossibilities) within themself.

* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Koh the face-stealer is a variation where he swaps between the different faces he's [[FaceStealer stolen]], while being one of the most ancient spirits around.

* ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': The Crystal Temple depicts the form of [[spoiler:Obsidian]], who in addition to Brahma like multiple arms has multiple faces.
[[/folder]]

Expressing (or referencing) godhood and divinity by making a character have several simultaneous faces.

These characters may or may not be explicit Gods, but multiple faces are being used as an aesthetic connection to godhood.

These characters may or may not be explicit Gods, but multiple faces are being used as a connection to godhood.